Plot Explained Spoilers guaranteed!
Plot Explained

Browse by genre

Undertone (1972) movie poster

Timeline

Undertone (1972) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1972 · 35 mins · English
Starring
Vito Acconci

In this infamous early‑performance video, Acconci sits at a table and narrates a masturbatory fantasy about a girl rubbing his legs beneath it. His rambling monologue shifts between addressing the camera and himself, foregrounding the voyeuristic contract that makes the viewer essential to the work by completing the imagined scene.

On this page (4)
  1. 1 Events in order (12)
  2. 2 Timeline questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Every angle

12 events in order · contains spoilers

Undertone Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Undertone (1972) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Evy starts The Undertone recording at 2:30 AM

    At Evy's home, she calls Justin to begin their weekly horror podcast, The Undertone. Evy remains skeptical while Justin is a true believer, and they discuss her ailing mother and Darren's lack of help as they set up. The moment marks the birth of the ominous project that will unfold with disturbing tapes.

    When
    2:30 AM
    Where
    Evy's home
  2. First audio files arrive and the viral clue surfaces

    They begin recording; Justin mentions a viral video called I Feel Wonderful and sends Evy ten audio files from an anonymous source. They play the first clip, which features Mike recording Jessa singing London Bridge in her sleep. The seed of danger is planted as the sounds hint at something supernatural.

    When
    2:32 AM
    Where
    Evy's home
  3. Dark folklore pings the investigation

    Justin researches Eleanor of Provence and the London Bridge legend, connecting it to fear of the bridge collapsing and orphans buried in the foundation. He also explores Baa Baa Black Sheep for hidden meanings, uncovering a dark undertone that foreshadows the tapes' menace. Evy and Justin realize there may be more than a hoax at play.

    When
    2:40 AM
    Where
    Internet research / Evy's home
  4. Third file unsettles Evy with house sounds

    During the same session, they listen to the third file where Jessa wakes Mike after hearing something, which turns out to be the sound of water running. Evy becomes unsettled as the noises seem to echo from her own house. They end the episode for the night with a creeping sense of danger.

    When
    2:50 AM
    Where
    Evy's home
  5. Morning sickness and a grim health update

    The next day Evy wakes with morning sickness and schedules a prenatal appointment; Evelyn's nurse warns that Evy's breath carries the death rattle, hinting at her mother's coming decline. Evy continues caring for her mother throughout the week, balancing fear with duty. The weight of impending motherhood and loss presses in.

    When
    Next day morning
    Where
    Evy's home
  6. A creepy drawing and backward whispers

    While cleaning, Evy finds a creepy crayon drawing of an evil woman in her drawer. That night she plays the Baa Baa Black Sheep clip in reverse and seems to hear a whispered phrase about blood. A doctor later confirms she is six weeks pregnant with Darren's child, forcing Evy to face possible consequences as strange phenomena intensify.

    When
    That night
    Where
    Evy's home
  7. Haunting intensifies: statue and flickering lights

    Lights flicker, strange noises persist, and a Virgin Mary statue appears despite Evy's attempts to keep it hidden, signaling a malevolent presence in the home. Evy grows more convinced that the house is reacting to the tapes and to her pregnancy. The boundary between the living room and something darker begins to blur.

    When
    That week
    Where
    Evy's home
  8. Fourth and fifth files deepen the dread

    Evy and Justin begin the fourth and fifth audio files; Jessa plays with a creepy doll that speaks phrases like I like it here in the dark, disturbing Mike and suggesting they were expecting a child. Later a loud thump is heard, which Evy credits to faulty plumbing, and the fifth file repeats backwards phrases that terrify Mike. They decide to keep going anyway.

    When
    During the ongoing podcast
    Where
    Evy's home / studio
  9. Backwards messages reveal Abyzou

    Evy replays the backwards messages and discovers that Abyzou, a demon of cursed mothers, may be behind the haunting. They realize the tapes are not simply a hoax but a doorway to a malevolent force. Abyzou is described as a demon who targets mothers and births.

    When
    That night
    Where
    Evy's home / online research
  10. Sixth to eighth files and escalating danger

    The sixth and seventh files reveal memory gaps and unsettling sounds: a baby crying over Jessa's snoring followed by a frightening scream about something by the kitchen sink. The eighth file has Jessa waking Mike to banging in the walls while Baa Baa Black Sheep plays, and Evy worries that danger is near. Justin debates trashing the episode, but Evy insists on continuing.

    When
    That night
    Where
    Evy & Justin's studio
  11. Evy checks on her mother as the haunting tightens

    Evy goes upstairs to check on her mother as the bathroom light turns on by itself and Evelyn slowly rises, suggesting an eerie link between the tapes and the home. Evy fears that Abyzou is reaching out through the environment and into her family. The tension in the house peaks as the line between podcast and nightmare blurs.

    When
    That night
    Where
    Evelyn's room / Evy's home
  12. Final tapes unleash a fatal climax

    The final two audio files trigger a flood of viewer calls as the danger climbs toward a nightmare conclusion. Abby calls for help while whispers imply someone may drown or be harmed; the tapes culminate in distorted lullabies and a vision of Abyzou, with Evelyn appearing and Evy screaming as the film cuts to black. Evy’s voice ends by repeating Come in Abyzou backwards.

    When
    End of the film
    Where
    Evy's home / studio

Last updated: April 18, 2026 at 09:57

Was this helpful?

Timeline questions answered

Undertone Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Undertone (1972): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

What is Abyzou and why is it targeting the main character

Abyzou is a mythical demon known as the patron saint of cursed mothers who preys on women with children, causing miscarriages or driving mothers to harm their infants. The demon is specifically targeting Evy because she is pregnant - the tapes act as a conduit that summons or awakens Abyzou, drawing the demonic presence into her home. The reveal comes when Evy and Justin reverse the mysterious recordings and discover Abyzou's name embedded in the audio.

Foreshadowing: Earlier audio clips contain backward whispers and nursery rhymes that foreshadow the demonic entity's presence.

  • abyzou
  • demon
  • cursed mothers
  • pregnancy
  • supernatural
  • horror podcast
Q2

Do the audio tapes actually summon the demon

Yes, the tapes function as a summoning mechanism. When callers warn that listening to the ten tapes awakens Abyzou, this proves true as Evy's home becomes increasingly haunted with flickering lights, strange noises, and the Virgin Mary statue mysteriously appearing. The reversed audio contains Abyzou's name and likely serves as an invocation. The more Evy listens and investigates, the stronger the demonic presence becomes.

Foreshadowing: The third audio file's sounds of running water echo in Evy's own house, showing the tapes are affecting reality.

  • audio tapes
  • summoning
  • recordings
  • haunting
  • reverse audio
Q3

What does the ending mean when Evy says Come in Abyzou

At the climax, after the final audio files trigger viewer calls about danger and a crying baby, Evy screams and the film cuts to black. Her voice then distorts, repeatedly saying "Come in Abyzou" backward, revealing that the demon has fully taken control. The ending confirms that Evy has been possessed or consumed by Abyzou - the backward phrase is the final indication that she has become a vessel for the demon, mirroring how the reversed audio throughout the film carried hidden messages.

Foreshadowing: Throughout the film, backward whispers and phrases hidden in the audio foreshadow this final invocation.

  • come in abyzou
  • ending
  • possession
  • backward audio
  • final scene
Q4

What happens to Jessa and Mike in the audio recordings

Jessa and Mike are the couple featured in the ten anonymous audio files. As the tapes progress, they experience increasingly disturbing phenomena - sleepwalking, mysterious sounds in their house, a creepy doll, and finally Jessa's desperate screams about something by the kitchen sink. The ninth file reveals Jessa warning that Abyzou may be coming for them, and subsequent caller stories suggest tragedies befell neighboring families who listened to the tapes. Their ultimate fate remains ambiguous but clearly dire - the recordings document their descent into terror as the demon targets them.

Foreshadowing: The early clips show subtle wrongness - Jessa singing in her sleep, the backwards "Mike kill all" - that escalates into full haunting.

  • jessa
  • mike
  • audio files
  • couple
  • fate
  • recordings
Q5

Why is Evy's pregnancy important to the story

Evy discovers she's six weeks pregnant early in the film, forcing her to decide whether to keep the baby. This pregnancy makes her a perfect target for Abyzou - the demon specifically preys on mothers and pregnant women, causing miscarriages or infanticide. The timing of the haunting coinciding with her pregnancy is not coincidental; the tapes have drawn the demon to her specifically because she represents the maternal aspect it corrupts. Her dual role as caregiver to her dying mother and potential mother to an unborn child intensifies the demon's focus on her.

Foreshadowing: The nurse's warning about the death rattle connects maternal death themes to the supernatural threat.

  • pregnancy
  • evy
  • mother
  • maternal
  • abyzou target
  • baby
Q6

What is the significance of London Bridge and Baa Baa Black Sheep in the film

The audio files prominently feature two nursery rhymes: London Bridge and Baa Baa Black Sheep. London Bridge appears when Jessa sleep-sings it, and in reverse, reveals "Mike kill all." The film connects this to Eleanor of Provence and folklore about orphans buried beneath London Bridge. Baa Baa Black Sheep becomes increasingly disturbing as the tapes progress, with backward play revealing whispered phrases about blood and escalating baby noises. These childhood lullabies become vessels for dark incantations, and their reverse playback reveals the demonic messages Abyzou sends through the recordings.

Foreshadowing: Justin researches these rhymes early, establishing them as vehicles for hidden, sinister meaning.

  • london bridge
  • baa baa black sheep
  • nursery rhyme
  • reverse audio
  • symbolism
  • folklore
Q7

What is the I Feel Wonderful video and why does it matter

I Feel Wonderful is a viral video mentioned at the start of the podcast - an image of a smiling woman that appears to distort and, as stories claim, drives dozens to tragedy. This video serves as the initial hook for the podcast and establishes the supernatural threat level. Later in the film, the video morphs into a terrifying image, showing the cursed content is real and connected to the larger demonic phenomenon. It represents a broader pattern of cursed media that lures people into contact with Abyzou.

Foreshadowing: The video is introduced early as a known viral horror, establishing the film'sfound-footage mythology.

  • i feel wonderful
  • viral video
  • cursed video
  • distortion
  • horror video
Q8

What does the death rattle warning mean for Evy's mother

The nurse tells Evy that her mother's breath carries a death rattle, indicating Evelyn is dying. This serves as both a literal health warning and thematic foreshadowing - the mother's impending death parallels the supernatural threats. However, the film's ending suggests something more sinister: as Evy investigates the tapes, Evelyn appears to move on her own, the bathroom light turns on by itself, and Evelyn rises in an eerie manner. This raises the disturbing possibility that Abyzou may be using Evelyn's dying body or that death itself is the demon's doorway.

Foreshadowing: The death rattle warning establishes maternal mortality as a central theme throughout the film.

  • death rattle
  • evelyn
  • mother
  • dying
  • health
  • prognosis
Q9

Why does the Virgin Mary statue keep appearing

The Virgin Mary statue repeatedly appears despite Evy's attempts to hide or remove it, signaling a malevolent supernatural presence in her home. This can be interpreted as a corrupted religious symbol - rather than offering protection, it becomes an omen of the demonic invasion. Its mysterious appearance represents the blurring line between sacred and profane, and may indicate Abyzou's ability to manipulate objects within the home to create unease.

Foreshadowing: Earlier attempts to banish or hide the statue fail, showing something beyond natural explanation controls its movement.

  • virgin mary statue
  • appearing
  • haunting
  • religious symbol
  • supernatural
Q10

Who sent the anonymous audio recordings

The anonymous sender of the ten audio files is never definitively identified. Evy and Justin attempt to contact the sender but their emails bounce back, maintaining the mystery. The tapes appear to be a conduit for Abyzou - they may have been sent by a previous victim, the demon itself, or someone hoping to spread the curse. The mystery deepens when callers report similar experiences, suggesting a network of affected people. The sender's identity remains one of the film's unresolved mysteries, though the content clearly targets pregnant women and mothers.

Foreshadowing: Early in the investigation, the sender's anonymity is established as emails bounce back.

  • anonymous sender
  • audio files
  • mystery
  • tapes
  • sender identity
  • emails
Q11

How is Evy's mother Evelyn connected to the demon

Evelyn is Evy's dying mother whom she cares for throughout the film. Her declining health creates the primary setting - Evy records the podcast from home while caring for her mother. The nurse's death rattle warning establishes Evelyn's imminent death. In the climax, Evelyn appears to awaken on her own as the bathroom light turns on by itself, suggesting Abyzou may be using her dying body or that death provides the demon access. Evelyn represents the film's maternal theme - both the mother being lost and the potential new life Evy carries, making her the emotional center of the demon's targeting.

Foreshadowing: The death rattle warning and Evelyn's fragile condition foreshadow her role in the climax.

  • evelyn
  • mother
  • caring
  • death
  • demon connection
  • caregiving

Movie threads

More Movies Like Undertone, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Undertone tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Voyeuristic horror movies like Undertone

Stories where a character's intimate confession implicates the viewer in their disturbing reality. If you liked the unsettling intimacy of Undertone, explore more movies where a character's direct confession pulls you into their disturbing reality. These films create a unique sense of complicity and psychological dread through their narrative style.

  • voyeuristic
  • unsettling
  • claustrophobic
  • confessional
  • psychological
  • intimate
  • Tone: dark, unsettling
  • Pacing: steady, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative is built around a character directly confessing or revealing a disturbing personal experience to the camera or a recording device. This structure breaks the fourth wall, making the audience an active participant in the story's psychological tension and moral ambiguity.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared use of direct address or found footage to create a powerful, uncomfortable intimacy. They explore themes of voyeurism, complicity, and the breakdown between performer and observer, resulting in a uniquely unsettling viewing experience.

Slow burn psychological torment movies like Undertone

A methodical, steady unraveling of a character's psyche under relentless pressure. Fans of the methodical dread in Undertone will appreciate these movies that slowly tighten the screws on their protagonists. Discover similar stories of psychological torment and inescapable descent into darkness.

  • dread-filled
  • psychological
  • unsettling
  • anxious
  • ominous
  • claustrophobic
  • Tone: dark, bleak, dread-filled
  • Pacing: steady, methodical
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The story follows a linear but deliberate progression of increasingly distressing events or revelations. Each new layer of information or experience deepens the protagonist's psychological anguish, leading to an inevitable and bleak conclusion with no reprieve.

Why they belong together: This thread connects films that share a specific pacing and emotional trajectory: a steady, methodical build of psychological pressure resulting in a heavy, bleak conclusion. They prioritize a pervasive sense of dread over jump scares, making the horror feel more intimate and inescapable.

Every angle

Undertone (1972) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Undertone in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

Plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Catch up on any movie in minutes, save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private, always.

Learn more about the app